ED'S GREEN GADGET

Ed, 18, of New Road, set himself the A-level product design task of producing a recycling unit which would be of practical use in a school and at the same time generate school children's interest in using it.

Under the guidance of head of design and technology Nigel Ashford, he has managed to produce a winner.

'I wanted to capture the students' imagination; it's well beyond being a simple rubbish container,' he said.

The prototype, made of plywood, acrylic and pine, is made up of three cubicles.

The first crushes and stores cans.

A can is put in through a door and a plunger slams against it before dropping it into a storage area.

The second cubicle sports a 'space ship' opening, down which plastic bottles can be dropped.

They go into a mangle, turned by spiked rollers, before being released into storage.

The third is a paper bin with a green funnel.

Added Ed: 'It would be useful in schools, offices or industry. Its size can vary according to the need. The important thing is that it is both practical and fun.'

Ed expects to study history at university. But he could finish up as an inventor!